Device for feeding poultry in particular fattening poultry, preferably broilers

ABSTRACT

A device for feeding poultry kept in a barn, comprises at least one food supply tube ( 1 ) which is held above the floor of the barn such as to be able to be lowered or raised, with a series of branch openings, each provided with a dish device ( 2 ) hanging on the supply tube, comprising a dropping tube extending from the branch opening and a feeding dish ( 4 ) arranged below, the dropping tube with a spoked arrangement of lattice bars ( 5 ) forming the cup of the dish. The dropping tube comprises an inner cylinder ( 7 ) leading off from the branch opening and an outer cylinder ( 8 ) surrounding the inner cylinder, from which the dish hangs by means of the lattice bars, such as to be placed on the floor of the barn in the lowered state of the food supply tube. The outer cylinder runs on the inner cylinder such as to rotate, be raised or lowered and at least one stop is provided for limiting the raising and lowering stoke. The outer and the inner cylinder each comprise adjacent cylindrical sections ( 8′, 8, 7′, 7 ) coaxial to each other, whereby front face regions of the cylinder sections turned to face other are connected to each other by means of bridging bodies ( 9, 23 ), which bridge a gap region corresponding to the separation between the cylinder sections.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to German Application 101 64 100.1entitled DEVICE FOR THE FEEDING OF POULTRY, FATTENED POULTRY INPARTICULAR, AND ESPECIALLY BROILERS, which was filed on Dec. 24, 2001.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a device for the feeding of free-range poultrykept in coops, fattening poultry in particular, and especially broilers,with at least one feed delivery pipe held above the floor of the coop ina raisable and lowerable manner. The feed delivery pipe has a series ofbranch apertures, of which each is allocated to a bowl device suspendedon the delivery pipe, which features a downpipe descending from thebranch aperture and a feed bowl located beneath the delivery pipe. Bowlcupolas are formed from grid bard running in spoke fashion, whereby thedownpipe consists of an inner cylinder departing from the branchaperture and an outer cylinder surrounding the inner cylinder, to whichthe feed bowl is suspended by means of the grid bars of its bowl cupolain such a way that it comes to rest when the feed delivery pipe islowered, coming to rest in particular on the floor of the coop. Theouter cylinder is guided in relation to the inner cylinder so as to berotatable as well as capable of being raised and lowered, and isprovided with at least one raising stop delimiting the raising andlowering travel.

A device of the generic type referred to is shown in EP 0 105 571 B1.

When the feed bowl of the known device comes to rest with the loweringof the feed pipe, apertures in the downpipe can be cleared. As a resultof this, depending on the individual position of the apertures inrelation to the feed bowl, it is possible to allocate differentdischarge cones and discharge heights to the feed passing via thedownpipe into the feed bowl. In order, for example, to provide chickswith improved eating conditions, a higher discharge height and thereforea high feed level to the bowl is necessary, which can be achieved byclearing further apertures in the downpipe with the known device. Inaccordance with the growth of the chicks, the feed level in the bowl canalso be set lower because growing animals can easily reach areas locatedlower in the feed bowls than chicks are capable of for the purpose ofacquiring feed.

Devices installed in a coop should be as free of maintenance aspossible. Accordingly, the most uniform refill of the feed is desired,while still remaining free of interruption, in predetermined meteringvolumes in each case into each individual feed bowl. With the knowndevice, however, interruptions may arise in that feed emergesirregularly from the downpipe into the feed bowls, as a result, forexample, of the corresponding outlet apertures becoming closed in thecasing surface of the downpipe. This is the case in particular with feedwhich is prone to form bridges, for example with feed with poor sprinklebehavior.

In addition to this, the outer pipe is capable of rotating in relationto the inner pipe, as a result of which the cross-section of anadditional outlet aperture in the downpipe is reduced, because anaperture in the outer cylinder is no longer congruent, or onlypartially, with the aperture allocated to it in the inner cylinder.

Feed bowls should be cleaned at regular intervals. This is effected byspraying with water, at least after a fattening period, before the coopis occupied by new chicks. During the spraying process, it isadvantageous for the feed bowl to be capable of rotation about thelongitudinal axis of the fall pipe deriving from the feed pipe, becausein this situation practically all inner areas of the feed bowl run pasta sharp water jet directed from one side into the feed bowl. While thepossibility of the feed bowl to rotate on the inner cylinder of thedownpipe is still advantageous for cleaning, it is neverthelessdisadvantageous, for the reasons described heretofore, for keeping clearthe additional apertures in the downpipe. A further disadvantage of thefree rotation of the feed bowl lies in the fact that a predetermineddistance interval between the feed bowl and the free end of thedownpipe, on which the feed level desired in each case is dependent, maybe unintentionally wrongly adjusted due to the rotational movementduring cleaning.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is based on the problem of avoiding these disadvantages bymeans of a device for the feeding of poultry, as described in theBackground of the Invention.

With the device according to the invention, both the outer cylinder andthe inner cylinder consist in each case of cylinder sections adjacent toone another and coaxial to one another, whereby the face periphery areasof the cylinder sections, turned towards one another, are connected toone another by means of bridging elements, which bridge a gap area whichcorresponds to the distance interval between the cylinder sections.

It has been shown that, during a fattening period, with an initial feedlevel for chicks and another feed level for broilers, in the finalanalysis therefore with only two feed level positions in the feed bowl,adequate fattening results can be achieved, so that, with a subdivisionof the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder into two cylinder sectionsin each case, a simple design is provided that has adequate operationalreliability.

The gap interval between two cylinder sections of the inner cylinder orthe outer cylinder respectively forms an additional aperture for theemergence of feed into the feed bowl, also referred to here as a “360°window,” which is located next to the lower free end of the downpipeformed from the inner cylinder and outer cylinder. Each gap intervalbetween the cylinder sections forms a free circumferential aperture,which is only interrupted by the bridge elements. These, however,without any losses in strength or stability needing to be taken intoaccount, can be kept so thin that their thickness, and therefore theircross-section, reduces the free aperture width of the 360° window formedin a virtually imperceptible manner. Even with unfavorablecircumstances, it is therefore possible to arrive at a situation withhardly any bridging formations or blockages in the area pertaining asthe 360° window of the additional apertures in the casing of thedownpipe or its cylinder respectively.

On the actuation of the delivery device installed in the feed deliverypipe, e.g. a dragline or a spiral feed device, it is guaranteed with thedevice designed according to the invention that each feed bowl will alsobe reliably filled up to the predetermined feed level. The risk willhardly arise any longer of individual feed bowls remaining empty, inparticular in the critical initial stage of the fattening period forchicks which are still small, due to blockages in the area of theadditional apertures in the downpipe.

The feed delivery pipe, usually running vertical and therefore parallelto the floor of the coop, can be moved perpendicularly, for example bymeans of traction cables capable of being centrally actuated. With theknown device, this actuation makes it possible for the feed bowl to bebrought into positions in which it rests either on the floor of the coopor is raised off of it. In the same manner as with the known device, thesetting of the feed bowl on the floor of the coop is used to displacethe outer cylinder vertically to the inner cylinder, and, by means ofthis displacement travel, to open an additional feed discharge aperture,namely the 360° circumferential window, in the downpipe. With this meansof effect, comparable to the prior art, with the device according to theinvention in a further embodiment, however, a situation is reached inwhich the end-side cylinder section covers the gap area between thecylinder sections of the outer cylinder when the outer cylinder is movedby means of a raising of the feed delivery pipe into a position which islowered in relation to the inner cylinder, in which the lifting stops ofthe inner and outer cylinder are in mutually opposed positions. It canbe seen that the formation of the 360° window has the advantage that,even in the ground resting position, in which the window is cleared,possible rotation of the feed bowl in relation to the inner cylinderwhich may arise will not have any disadvantageous effect on the feedoutflow through the 360° window.

In order to prevent the possibility of the outer pipe with the feed bowlfalling away from the inner cylinder when the feed delivery pipe israised, at least one lifting stop is provided for. With the deviceaccording to the invention, a recess in the inner surface of thecylinder plays a part in the formation of the lifting stop of the outercylinder, as well as at least one contact shoulder for the recess,projecting radially from the inner cylinder. If the inner cylinder israised, in that the feed delivery pipe is brought into a greaterdistance interval from the floor of the coop, the inner cylinderinitially slides in the outer cylinder as far as the contact shoulderprojecting from the inner cylinder, against which the step formed by therecess in the outer cylinder comes in contact, so that, with the furtherraising of the inner cylinder, the outer cylinder and therefore the feedbowl connected to it can be drawn along together. In this position,therefore, the parts of the inner cylinder and the outer cylinderparticipating in the formation of the lifting stops are in amutually-opposed position, and the end-side cylinder section of theinner cylinder covers the gap area between the cylinder sections of theouter cylinder. The additional aperture in the feed downpipe, the “360°window,” is closed.

Each contact shoulder for the recess may be a projection arranged atrandom on the inner cylinder. For preference, each contact shoulder forthe recess is a part of a radial projection of the inner cylinder, inthe manner of a collar flange.

In order for the bridging elements which connect the cylinder sectionsonly to reduce the free opening surfaces of the “360° window” by aninsignificant amount, and nevertheless to connect the cylinder sectionsto one another in an adequately stable and secure manner, a specialdesign and cross-sectional shape has been selected for the bridgingelements. Each bridging element is a flat web, of which the web surfaceplan runs radially to the axis of the inner or outer cylinder in eachcase. The number of flat webs can be varied. Four webs for the innercylinder and seven webs for the outer cylinder have proved their worth.To particular advantage, the bridging elements of the outer cylinderwhich pertain as flat webs feature the form of paddles or vanesprojecting radially over the periphery of the outer cylinder into thefeed bowl. The vanes at the outer cylinder control and maintain theuniform feed distribution into the feed plates, even if the entire feedbowl is intended to swing or move in pendulum fashion about the deliverypipe, and prevent the excessive scratching and pecking of the animals inthe feed, which can result in feed losses.

It is intended that the feed should be discharged and distributed asuniformly as possible from the downpipe. In this situation, an overflowof the feed from the feed bowl due to an excessively high feed level isto be avoided just as too low a feed level, which impedes the feeding ofthe animals. For the correct metering of the feed into the bowl, it isdeterminant, as already mentioned, that a predetermined distributioncone be formed and maintained in the feed bowl, whereby the distributioncone can in turn be influenced by the distance interval between the feedoutlet apertures present in the downpipe and the feed bowl. The distancebetween the feed bowl and the lower free end of the downpipe or from the“360° window” respectively therefore has a substantial influence on thefeed level in the bowl, and it is in turn dependent on the feed level asto whether the feed consumption by the animals takes place in optimumfashion. The possibility of altering or adjusting the interval distancebetween the feed bowl and the lower free end or between the feed bowland the “360° window” of the downpipe is advantageous, and with thedevice according to the invention is achieved in terms of design in thatthe outer surface of an upper cylinder section of the outer cylinder isdesigned as a threaded spindle and that the free ends of the grid barsof the bowl cupola are connected to a screw ring, which is screwed ontothe area of the outer cylinder designed as a threaded spindle.

The pitch of the threaded spindle is selected for preference of such atype that, even at relatively low extension or angular movement of thefeed bowl, a perceptible change is noticeable between the distancebetween the feed bowl and the feed delivery pipe, from which thedownpipe with its apertures departs.

As described heretofore, the feed bowls begin to rotate about an uprightaxis when subjected to cleaning under a water jet. This rotation is evendesirable. The rotary movement does have the disadvantage, however, thatthe feed level which has been set may as a result be unintentionallychanged. After cleaning, all the feed bowls in the feed line in a coopwould therefore have to be readjusted, which involves a considerableamount of work.

The undesirable automatic change of setting or rotation of the feedbowls is prevented with the device according to the invention in that itfeatures at least one rotational stop, which prevents or at leastdelimits the rotational path of the outer cylinder in relation to theinner cylinder.

In this situation, the formation and arrangement are set in such a waythat each rotational stop features at least one elevation arranged at apredetermined area of the outer surface of the inner cylinder, as wellas at least one driver dog or projection located on the inner surface ofthe outer cylinder, into the rotational path of which, during therotation of the outer cylinder about the inner cylinder, the elevationprojects. If the feed bowl rotates, and therefore the outer cylinder onwhich the feed bowl is suspended, in relation to the inner cylinder, theprojection strikes against the elevation at the latest after apredetermined rotational path has been covered, and prevents it fromrotating back again.

The predetermined area of the outer surface of the inner cylinder, whichis provided with the elevation for the rotational stop, is the upperhead part, which is offset against the other part of the inner cylinderas a result of the reduced cylinder diameter. The feed bowl and itsouter cylinder can therefore only rotate freely about the inner cylinderin that position in which it is suspended above the raising stopsbetween the outer and inner cylinder on the inner cylinder. In the upperposition, i.e., in a lowered position of the feed delivery pipe andtherefore also of the inner cylinder in which the feed bowl rests, and,as a result, its outer cylinder is raised in relation to the innercylinder, the projection is, by contrast, in the area of effect of theelevation located on the upper head part of the inner cylinder, saidelevation projecting into the rotational path of the projection on theouter cylinder. The outer cylinder, and therefore the feed bowl, istherefore only capable of rotation in the upper position until therotational movement is stopped by the rotational stop.

The device according to the invention is also characterized by the factthat the automatic, uncontrolled, and therefore undesirable rotation ofthe screw ring in relation to the outer cylinder is prevented, whichwould in consequence result in an incorrect setting of the feed level inthe feed bowl, that the outer cylinder features, in its area designed asa threaded spindle, at least one spring-elastic engagement cam,preferably a spring elastic in the radial direction, which can engage inpositive fit with cut-outs which are featured by the screw ring in itsinner circumferential surface.

With the device according to the invention, it is of particularinventive significance that the rotational stop, in conjunction with theareas of the inner cylinder offset in respect of the diameter, servesthe purpose of blocking the specified setting of the feed level, ifrequired, against unintentional actuation by means of the engagementcams in the suspended position or, if appropriate, in the raisedposition of the bowl. This is achieved in that the engagement cams andthe cut-outs are provided with run-on flanks aligned obliquely to thedirection of rotation about the upright axis.

Because the engagement cams and the cut-outs are provided with run-onflanks aligned obliquely to the direction of rotation, thespring-elastic engagement cams are deflected with the appropriateapplication of force during rotation, and in a similar manner to a camdrive are deflected out of the cut-outs. After the deflection of theengagement cams from the cut-outs, the screw ring can be further rotatedon the thread of the outer cylinder, whereby the feed stand positiondefining the feed level changes, as described heretofore. As soon as theengagement cams have reached an adjacent cut-out, they engage again intothis cut-out, or the screw ring, under the repetition of the deflectionmovement, may rotate further.

This is only possible, however, in the upper position of the outercylinder in relation to the inner cylinder, because, due to the offsetouter surface of the inner cylinder with the reduced cylinder diameter,there is sufficient room behind the engagement cams into which they canbe moved during rotation and raising out of the cut-outs. In the lowersuspended position, the outer surface of the inner cylinder is supportedfrom behind against the engagement cams because of their enlarged outerdiameter at that point, with the result that clearance of the feed standpositions which have been set, and raising from the cut-outs, are notpossible even with the greatest exertion of force.

In view of the fact that, during cleaning, the entire feed line israised with the feed pipe, and, as a consequence, only the suspendedposition of the outer cylinder is provided, in this suspended positionof the outer cylinder it is automatically guaranteed that thepreviously-set feed stand positions will be locked in place, andunintentional changing of the feed stand positions is therefore notpossible. The feed bowl can however be rotated freely on the innercylinder, in the suspended position of the outer cylinder, for thepurpose of cleaning.

Only in the raised position of the feed bowl and the external cylinderconnected to it is an adjustment of the feed stand position possible bythe rotation of the screw ring on the threaded spindle part of the outercylinder, because only in this position can the engagement cams bedeflected out of the cut-outs of the screw ring with the aid of therotary stops, acting in the manner of a driver dog.

To adjust the feed stand position which has been set, the unitconsisting of the feed bowl, cupola and outer cylinder is thereforefirst to be raised. This unit can then be rotated about the upright axisin the direction of rotation of the desired change of the feed stand,until the point at which driver dogs present on the outer cylinder inthe form of projections have reached the separation cylinder, and theouter cylinder is secured against a further rotation. In thecontinuation of the rotational movement, with increasing effect offorce, the engagement cams release the feed stand positions, in order,after a predetermined path of rotation, to be able to engage again inthe next feed stand position.

To improve the cleaning effect and facilitate cleaning work, in afurther embodiment of the device according to the invention there isincorporated the measure that the feed bowl features a feed plate, whichin the area of the plate edge features connecting elements to connect tothe bowl cupola. The connecting elements may feature a folding joint andat least one locking or retention element. Instead of a connection withthe bowl cupola, the feed plate also may be formed, in the area of itsplate edge, of two plate edge sections, one of which is connected to thegrid bars of the bowl cupola, and which are connected to each other bymeans of at least one folding joint and at least one locking orretaining element, e.g. clamps. Of particular advantage is an unhookablefolding joint, so that a feed plate can be replaced if necessary.

The feed plate is designed to be conical in the center, so that feedfalling into the feed plate from the unit of inner cylinder and outercylinder forming the downpipe can slide outwards.

To improve feed consumption by the animals, a ring surface of the feedplate, which runs around the center of the plate located beneath thedownpipe, is divided into feeding sections. Each feeding sectionconsists of at least one plate, one field, or the like by way of a shapedelimited by a depression or elevation.

To particular advantage, the number of feeding sections is equal to amultiple of the number of the bridging elements of the outer cylinderdesigned as paddles or vanes.

If, for example, seven cut-outs are arranged on the inner circumferenceof the screw ring, then this specifies seven feed stand positions, whichcan be adjusted by the rotation of the screw ring in relation to theouter cylinder. The outer cylinder itself features in its thread area atleast one, and preferably two, engagement cams, which are located on thecircumference of the outer cylinder in such a way that they can engagesimultaneously in cut-outs of the screw ring arranged for each of them.With seven possible feed stand positions, it is possible to arrangeseven bridging elements at the circumference of the outer cylinder, andto design these as paddles or vanes, so that they control and maintainthe uniform distribution of the feed into the feed plate. In the case ofthe feed plate subdivided into 14 sections, there are then two fields orpockets of the feed plate in each case between two bridging elements ofthe outer cylinder present in the form of vanes or paddles, so that onthe one hand it is easy for the animals to take the feed and, on theother, it is rendered more difficult for them to scatter feed sidewaysout of the feed bowl. Because of the seven feed stand positions selectedin the threaded connection between the outer cylinder and screw ring andbecause of the hinge connection between the feed plate and bowl cupola,the seven paddles or vanes can come into unambiguous concordance inrelation to the fields or pockets of the feed plate.

These and other features, advantages and objects of the presentinvention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled inthe art by reference to the following specification, claims and appendeddrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the invention, from which further inventive featurescan be derived, is represented in the drawings. These show:

FIG. 1 is a view of the bowl device suspended on the feed delivery pipe,for the feeding of broilers.

FIG. 2 is a view of an outer cylinder.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the outer cylinder according to FIG. 2, in ahalf-section.

FIG. 4 is a view of the inner cylinder, with upper pipe adapter forsecuring to the feed delivery pipe without a closing upper part.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the inner cylinder, in a half-section.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the device according to FIG. 1, in ahalf-section with the feed delivery pipe raised, so that the feed bowlhangs freely above the floor of a coop.

FIG. 7 is the unit of a downpipe, formed from the inner cylinder and theouter cylinder guided on this, in a sectional view along the lineVII—VII in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the device with the feed delivery pipe lowered,so that the feed bowl is resting on the floor of the coop.

FIG. 9 is a section through the downpipe of the device according to FIG.8, consisting of inner cylinder and outer cylinder, in a section alongthe line IX—IX in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a view of a feed bowl, in which, to make the feed plateclearer, the bowl cupola has been removed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The device for feeding free-range poultry for fattening kept in a coop,and broilers in particular, consists of at least one feed delivery pipe1, held above the floor of the coop in a lowerable manner, which runsalong the entire length of the coop and, by means of a delivery wormelement located inside it, or a cable or a chain with delivery disks,transports feed capable of scatter distribution to individual bowldevices 2 suspended on the feed delivery pipe 1. The parts described canalso be designated in their entirety as the feed line.

In FIG. 1, only one part of the feed delivery pipe 1 is represented,with a bowl device 2 suspended in the area of a branch aperture in thefeed delivery pipe 1. The bowl device 2 comprises a downpipe 3,departing from a branch aperture not further visible here, and a feedbowl 4 located beneath the downpipe 3, with bowl cupolas 6 formed fromgrid bars 5 running in spoke fashion. In this situation, the downpipe 3consists of an inner cylinder 7, departing from the branch aperture notvisible here, and an outer cylinder 8, surrounding the inner cylinder 7,on which the bowl 4 is suspended by means of the grid bars 5 of its bowlcupola 6, in such a way that, when the feed delivery pipe 1 is lowered,it comes to rest, and in particular comes to rest on the floor 34 of thecoop, not represented any further here. The outer cylinder 8 is guidedin rotatable fashion at the inner cylinder 7 and in a raisable andlowerable manner, whereby at least one lifting stop is provided todelimit the lifting and lowering path, which will be described ingreater detail hereinafter.

FIG. 2 shows a view of the outer cylinder 8.

In FIG. 3, a side view of the outer cylinder 8 according to FIG. 2 isshown, in a half-section.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are explained in greater detail hereinafter.

The outer cylinder 8 consists of adjacent cylinder sections 8′ and 8″,co-axial to each other. The cylinder sections 8′ and 8″ are connected toeach other by means of bridging elements 9, each of which is designed asa paddle or vane 10, projecting over the periphery of the outer cylinder8 into the feed bowl 4. The bridging elements 9 bridge the gap area 11,which corresponds to the distance between the cylinder sections 8′ and8″ of the outer cylinder 8, or in this case its upper cylinder section8′, features a recess 13, which is part of a lifting stop 14. The outersurface of the upper cylinder section 8′ of the outer cylinder 8 isdesigned in the upper end part as a threaded spindle 15, which has screwthreads 16.

The outer cylinder is made of suitable plastic material, with the resultthat the screw threads 16 and therefore the threaded spindle 15 can beshaped without problem during the manufacture of the outer cylinder 8.

As FIG. 1 also shows, the free ends of the grid bars 5 of the bowlcupola 6 are connected to a screw ring 17, which can be screwed onto thearea designed as a threaded spindle 15 of the cylinder section 8′ of theouter cylinder 8.

At the rotation of the feed bowl 4, relative to the outer cylinder 8,the threaded spindle 15 causes a movement of the feed bowl 4 in respectof the height, towards the lower end of the cylinder section 8″ with thevanes 10 of the outer cylinder 8.

FIGS. 2 and 3 further show that a rotational stop delimiting therotational path of outer cylinder 8 in relation to the inner cylinder 7features a driver dog 19, located in this case on the inner surface 18of the outer cylinder 8, into the rotation path of which the elevation21 arranged on the outer surface 20 of the inner cylinder 7 projectsduring the rotation of the outer cylinder 8 about the inner cylinder 7.

FIG. 4 shows a view of the inner cylinder 7, which consists of cylindersections 7′ and 7″, whereby the open gap area between the cylindersections 7′ and 7″ is again bridged by bridging elements 23 in flat webform. In FIG. 4, a part of the lifting stop 14 is visible, which at theinner cylinder 7 is designed as at least one abutment shoulder 24 forthe recess 13 in the outer cylinder 8, projecting radially from theinner cylinder 7.

FIG. 4 shows that each abutment shoulder 24 for the recess 13 is a partof a radial projection 25 of the inner cylinder 7, similar to a collarflange in shape. FIG. 4 also shows that the outer surface 20 of theinner cylinder 7, in the upper area and therefore in the area of itshead part, is offset by means of a reduced cylinder diameter in relationto the other part of the cylinder section 7′ of the inner cylinder 7.The offsetting step is designated by 26.

FIG. 2 further shows that, to provide securing against rotation of thestructural unit consisting of the screw ring 17 (FIG. 1) with bowlcupola 6 and the feed bowl 4, there is provided at each outer cylinder8, in its area designed as a threaded spindle 15, two spring-elasticengagement cams 27. Each engagement cam 27 is connected by means of aspring-elastic tongue 28 to the outer cylinder 8. In this situation,removal from the mold is effected in such a way that the tongues arewall parts of the outer cylinder, formed by insertion cuts, which arecapable of springing from the outside inwards under radial pressure andcan be moved back elastically into the initial position when thepressure is released. In the pressureless initial position, the tongues28 are flush again with the wall of the outer cylinder 8.

FIG. 5 shows a side view of the inner cylinder, whereby the right halfof the inner cylinder is shown in a longitudinal section.

The same components are designated with the same reference numbers.

FIG. 4 in particular shows that the inner cylinder 7 in its upper freeend is involved in the formation of a pipe adapter, in that a bowl half29 of the pipe adapter is formed on the inner cylinder 7. This bowl halfcan be supplemented to form the pipe adapter by the imposition of anupper part 30, which is visible in FIG. 1, which encompasses the feedpipe 1 in the area of a branch aperture, not further shown, in such away that the branch aperture is flush with the fall aperture 31 in theupper bowl part 29 of the inner cylinder 7. Feed emerging from the feeddelivery pipe passes over the branch aperture and the fall aperture 31into the inner cylinder, and can fall into the feed bowl via the gaparea 22 or into the lower fall aperture 32. The lower fall aperture 32is circumscribed by the lower edges 33 of the cylinder section 7″.

FIG. 6 shows, in a side view, a bowl device 2 suspended on a feeddelivery pipe 1, whereby the right-hand side is shown in section. Thesame components are designated with the same reference numbers.

It can be seen from FIG. 6 that the inner cylinder 7 is designed in sucha way that its end-side cylinder section 7″ covers the gap area 11between the cylinder sections 8′ and 8″ of the outer cylinder 8, whenthe outer cylinder 8 is moved by a raising of the feed delivery pipe 1into a position which is lowered in relation to the inner cylinder 7, inwhich the parts forming the lifting stop 14 are in opposing positions.With this embodiment, it can be seen in FIG. 6 that the outer cylinder8, with the step surface formed by its recess 13 in the cylinder section8′, is in contact on the abutment shoulder 24 of the radial projection25 of the inner cylinder 7. Feed material entering the inner cylinder 7from the feed delivery pipe is represented here by dots, and tricklesinto the feed bowl 4, whereby it trickles out of the lower fall aperture32 of the inner cylinder 7 into the cylinder section 8″ of the outercylinder 8, and from there directly into the feed bowl 4. This feedcovers the conically-shaped floor of the feed bowl 4, likewise made ofplastic, in a flat dispersal, as can be seen here. Poultry running abouton the floor 34 of the coop can reach the feed located in the depth ofthe feed bowl 4.

The height of the dispersal cone of feed above the floor of the feedbowl 4 is adjustable. To regulate the feed level, or to adjust what isreferred to as the feed stand position, the screw ring 17, to which thegrid bars 5 of the bowl cupola 6 are connected, is rotated about aheight axis. Depending on the rotation path and pitch of the screwthreads 16, the position of the bowl is displaced in relation to thelower emergence edge 35 of the lower free end of the outer cylindersection 8″.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view along the line VII—VII in FIG. 6. The samecomponents are designated by the same reference numbers. FIG. 7 showsthat the inner cylinder 7, of which the cylinder section 7′ is visiblehere, is encompassed by the outer cylinder 8, or by its cylinder section8′, visible here. The outer cylinder, in the position represented here,is therefore freely rotatable about the inner cylinder 7. In FIG. 7, thedriver dogs 19 can be seen which are arranged on the inner surface ofthe outer cylinder 8.

The screw ring 17 features on its inner circumferential surface cut-outs37. Engagement cams 27, which are mounted on the spring-elastic tongues28, can engage with the cut-outs 37, so that the screw ring 17, with theengagement cams 27 engaged in the cut-outs 37, cannot be rotated inrelation to the outer cylinder 8. The feed level, once set, can bemaintained. In the event of rotational forces being imposed on the feedbowl or via its bowl cupola on the screw ring 17, the unit consisting ofthe outer cylinder 8, screw ring 17, bowl cupola 6 and feed bowl 4 willrotate only in relation to the inner cylinder 7. The inner cylinder 7cannot rotate together because of its suspension on the feed deliverypipe 1.

FIG. 8 shows a side view according to FIG. 6, whereby the right half isin turn shown in section. The feed delivery pipe is lowered in theposition shown in FIG. 8, so that it runs at a slight distance above thefloor 34 of the coop. The feed bowl 4, in the position shown in FIG. 8,rests on the floor 34 of the coop, as a result of which the unit formedby the outer cylinder with the bowl cupola 6 and the feed bowl 4 israised in relation to the inner cylinder 7. In this position, the recess13 forming the lifting stop 14 and the abutment shoulder 24 of the innercylinder 7 are no longer in mutually opposed positions. The outercylinder 8 with its cylinder sections 8′ and 8″ are therefore raised inrelation to the inner cylinder to such an extent that the gap area 11between the cylinder sections 8′ and 8″ of the outer cylinder 8 iscongruent with the gap area 22 between the cylinder sections 7′ and 7″of the inner cylinder 7. As a result of the congruent open gap areas 11and 22, which form a “360° window”, the feed can additionally pass tothe lower fall aperture 32 into the feed bowl 4, as is represented hereby dots. The feed level in the feed bowl 4 is simultaneously higher,with the result that even young animals, such as chicks, can reach overthe edge of the feed bowl 4 to the feed, which now stands higher in thefeed bowl 4.

FIG. 8 also indicates that the upper area of the cylinder section 8′ ofthe outer cylinder 8, which is provided with screw threads 16, ontowhich the threaded ring 17 is screwed, are now raised to such an extentthat the driver dogs 19, not visible here, can be brought into effectiveconnection by means of an elevation 21 or 21′ of the inner cylinder 7.

FIG. 9 again shows that the elevations 21 and 21′ on the outer surface20 of the cylinder section 7′ of the inner cylinder 7 can come incontact with the driver dogs 19, which project from the inner surface 18of the cylinder section 8′ of the outer cylinder 8. The driver dogs 19of the fixed inner cylinder 7 prevent the further rotation of the outercylinder 8 beyond the position of the elevation 21 and 21′. The outercylinder 8 can therefore only be rotated through 180° in each case, andfurther rotation is accordingly stopped by the elevation 21 or 21′respectively. If the outer cylinder is nevertheless rotated further, forexample in order to change the level of the feed with the aid of thethreads on the outer cylinder and with the aid of the screw ring 17,then the engagement cams 27, because of their oblique flanks 38, will bepressed out of the cut-outs 37 in the screw ring, said cut-outs alsobeing provided with oblique edges 39. The engagement cams 27 are in thissituation deflected inwards, and specifically against the elasticresetting force of the tongues 28. With the corresponding furtherrotation into the next feed position, which is indicated here by numberson the screw ring, the engagement cams 27 can engage again in the nextcut-out 37, as shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 shows the view of a bowl device, of which the bowl cupola hasbeen left out for simplification of the internal arrangements of thefeed bowl 4. The same components are designated with the same referencenumbers.

FIG. 10 shows in particular that the feed bowl 4 features a feed plate,which in the area of its plate edge 40 features connecting elements 41and 42 for connection to the bowl cupola 6, not visible here. Theconnecting elements 41 and 42 comprise a folding joint 43 and at leastone locking or retention element 44. A ring surface of the feed plate,which runs around the plate center located beneath the downpipe 3, issubdivided into feeding sections, whereby each feeding section consistsof at least one pocket, one field, or similar shaped area 45, delimitedby depression or elevation. The number of feeding sections is equal to amultiple of the number of the bridging elements 9 of the outer cylinder8, formed as paddles or vanes 10, of which the cylinder sections 8′ and8″ are visible here, with the gap area 11 located between them.

The above description is considered that of the preferred embodimentonly. Modification of the invention will occur to those skilled in theart and to those who make or use the invention. Therefore, it isunderstood that the embodiment shown in the drawings and described aboveis merely for illustrative purposes and not intended to limit the scopeof the invention, which is defined by the following claims asinterpreted according to the principles of patent law, including thedoctrine of equivalents.

1. A device for the feeding of free-range poultry kept in a coop with atleast one feed delivery pipe held above a floor of the coop and capableof being raised and lowered, the pipe having at least one aperture,comprising: a bowl device configured to be suspended on the feeddelivery pipe, the bowl device including a feed bowl located beneath adownpipe, the bowl device further including a cupola formed from gridbars in spoke fashion, wherein the downpipe comprises an inner cylinderconfigured to depart from the aperture and an outer cylinderencompassing the inner cylinder, on which the bowl is suspended by thegrid bars of the bowl cupola in such a way that, when the feed deliverypipe is lowered, the bowl comes to rest on the floor of the coop,wherein the outer cylinder is guided in a rotatable manner as well as ina raisable and lowerable manner on the inner cylinder, and at least onelifting stop is provided for delimiting a lifting and lowering path ofthe bowl; wherein the outer cylinder is comprised of adjacent outercylinder sections co-axial to each other, whereby outer face peripheralareas of the outer cylinder sections turned towards each other areconnected to one another by outer bridging elements which bridge anouter gap area, which corresponds to an outer interval distance betweenthe outer cylinder sections; and wherein the inner cylinder is comprisedof adjacent inner cylinder sections co-axial to each other, wherebyinner face peripheral areas of the inner cylinder sections turnedtowards each other are connected to one another by inner bridgingelements which bridge an inner gap area, which corresponds to an innerinterval distance between the inner cylinder sections.
 2. A deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein: an end-side cylinder section of the innercylinder covers the outer gap area between the cylinder sections of theouter cylinder, when the outer cylinder is moved by the raising of thefeed delivery pipe into a position which is lowered in relation to theinner cylinder, in which lifting stops of the inner cylinder and theouter cylinder are in mutually opposed positions.
 3. A device accordingto claim 1, wherein: the lifting stop comprises a recess in the cylinderinner surface of the outer cylinder and at least one abutment shoulderfor the recess projecting radially from the inner cylinder.
 4. A deviceaccording to claim 3, wherein: each abutment shoulder for the recess isa part of a radial projection.
 5. A device according to claim 1,wherein: each bridging element is a flat web, of which a web surfaceplane is aligned radially to the axis of the individual inner cylinderor outer cylinder in each case.
 6. A device according to claim 5,wherein: the bridging elements of the outer cylinder comprise paddles orvanes projecting over a periphery of the outer cylinder into the feedbowl.
 7. A device according to claim 1, wherein: the outer surface of anupper cylinder section of the outer cylinder includes a threadedspindle, and that free ends of the grid bars of the bowl cupola areconnected to a screw ring, which is screwed onto an area of the outercylinder having the threaded spindle.
 8. A device according to claim 1,further including: at least one rotational stop, delimiting a rotationalpath of the outer cylinder in relation to the inner cylinder.
 9. Adevice according to claim 8, wherein: each rotational stop features atleast one elevation, arranged in a predetermined area of the outersurface of the inner cylinder and at least one driver dog located on theinner surface of the outer cylinder, into the rotational path of which,at the rotation of the outer cylinder about the inner cylinder, theelevation projects.
 10. A device according to claim 9, wherein: apredetermined area of the outer surface of the inner cylinder in itsupper head part is offset in relation to a remaining portion of theinner cylinder as a result of reduced cylinder diameter.
 11. A deviceaccording to claim 7, wherein: the outer cylinder features at least onespring-elastic engagement cam in an area defined by the threadedspindle.
 12. A device according to claim 11, wherein: each engagementcam comprises an engagement cam which is spring-elastic in a radialdirection.
 13. A device according to claim 11, wherein: a screw ring ofthe bowl cupola includes cut-outs on its inner circumference surface,with which the engagement cams are capable of engaging with positivefit.
 14. A device according to claim 13, wherein: the engagement camsand the cut-outs include run-in flanks arranged obliquely to thedirection of rotation.
 15. A device according to claim 1, wherein: thefeed bowl includes a feed plate, which in an area of its plate edgeincludes connecting elements for connecting to the bowl cupola.
 16. Adevice according to claim 15, wherein: the connecting elements include aflap joint and at least one locking or retaining element.
 17. A deviceaccording to claim 15, wherein: a ring surface of the feed plate runsaround a plate center, which is configured to be located beneath thedownpipe, and is subdivided into feeding sections.
 18. A deviceaccording to claim 17, wherein: each feeding section comprises at leastone pocket delimited by depression or elevation.
 19. A device accordingto claim 17, wherein: the number of feeding sections is equal to amultiple of the number of the bridging elements of the outer cylinder.20. A device according to claim 19, wherein: the bridging elementscomprise paddles or vanes.
 21. A device for the feeding of free-rangepoultry kept in a coop with at least one feed delivery pipe held above afloor of the coop and capable of being raised and lowered, the pipehaving at least one aperture, comprising: a bowl device configured to besuspended on the feed delivery pipe, the bowl device comprising a feedbowl, a cupola, and a downpipe; the feed bowl being located beneath thedownpipe; the cupola being formed from grid bars in a spoke fashion;wherein the downpipe comprises an inner cylinder configured to departfrom the aperture and an outer cylinder encompassing the inner cylinder;wherein the feed bowl is suspended by the grid bars of the bowl cupolain such a way that, when the feed delivery pipe is lowered, the bowlcomes to rest on the floor of the coop; wherein the outer cylinder isguided in a rotatable manner as well as in a raisable and lowerablemanner on the inner cylinder; wherein the bowl device includes at leastone lifting stop for delimiting a lifting and lowering path of the bowl;wherein the outer cylinder is comprised of adjacent outer cylindersections co-axial to each other, whereby outer face peripheral areas ofthe outer cylinder sections turned towards each other are connected toone another by outer bridging elements which bridge an outer gap area,which corresponds to an outer interval distance between the outercylinder sections; and wherein the inner cylinder is comprised ofadjacent inner cylinder sections co-axial to each other, whereby innerface peripheral areas of the inner cylinder sections turned towards eachother are connected to one another by inner bridging elements whichbridge an inner gap area, which corresponds to an inner intervaldistance between the inner cylinder sections.
 22. A device according toclaim 21, wherein: an end-side cylinder section of the inner cylindercovers the outer gap area between the outer cylinder sections of theouter cylinder when the outer cylinder is moved by the raising of thefeed delivery pipe into a position which is lowered in relation to theinner cylinder; the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder each includeone of the at least one lifting stop; and the lifting stops of the innercylinder and the outer cylinder are in mutually opposed positions.
 23. Adevice according to claim 21, wherein: the at least one lifting stopcomprises a recess in a cylinder inner surface of the outer cylinder andat least one abutment shoulder for the recess projecting radially fromthe inner cylinder.
 24. A device according to claim 23, wherein: eachabutment shoulder for the recess is a part of a radial projection.
 25. Adevice according to claim 21, wherein: each bridging element is a flatweb, of which a web surface plane is aligned radially to an axis of theindividual inner cylinder or outer cylinder in each case.
 26. A deviceaccording to claim 25, wherein: the bridging elements of the outercylinder comprise paddles or vanes projecting over a periphery of theouter cylinder.
 27. A device according to claim 21, wherein: the outersurface of an upper cylinder section of the outer cylinder includes athreaded spindle; and free ends of the grid bars of the bowl cupola areconnected to a screw ring, which is screwed onto an area of the outercylinder having the threaded spindle.
 28. A device according to claim21, wherein: the downpipe includes at least one rotational stop,delimiting a rotational path of the outer cylinder in relation to theinner cylinder.
 29. A device according to claim 28, wherein: eachrotational stop includes at least one elevation and at least one driverdog; the at least one elevation is arranged in a predetermined area ofthe outer surface of the inner cylinder; the at least one driver dog islocated on an inner surface of the outer cylinder; and the at least onedriver dog includes a rotational path of which, at the rotation of theouter cylinder about the inner cylinder, the elevation projects.
 30. Adevice according to claim 29, wherein: a predetermined area of the outersurface of the inner cylinder at an upper head part includes a reducedcylinder diameter compared to a remaining portion of the inner cylinder;and the predetermined area is offset in relation to a remaining portionof the inner cylinder as a result of reduced cylinder diameter.
 31. Adevice according to claim 27, wherein: the outer cylinder features atleast one spring-elastic engagement cam in an area defined by thethreaded spindle.
 32. A device according to claim 31, wherein: eachengagement cam is spring-elastic in a radial direction.
 33. A deviceaccording to claim 31, wherein: the bowl cupola includes a screw ring;the screw ring includes cut-outs on an inner circumference surfacethereof; and the cut-outs are capable of engaging the engagement camswith a positive fit.
 34. A device according to claim 33, wherein: theengagement cams and the cut-outs include run-in flanks arrangedobliquely to a direction of rotation.
 35. A device according to claim21, wherein: the feed bowl includes a feed plate; and the feed plateincludes a plate edge having connecting elements for connecting the feedplate to the bowl cupola.
 36. A device according to claim 35, wherein:the connecting elements include a flap joint and at least one locking orretaining element.
 37. A device according to claim 35, wherein: the feedplate includes a ring surface configured to be located beneath thedownpipe and a plate center; the ring surface surrounds the platecenter; and the ring surface is subdivided into feeding sections.
 38. Adevice according to claim 37, wherein: each feeding section comprises atleast one pocket delimited by depression or elevation.
 39. A deviceaccording to claim 37, wherein: the number of feeding sections is equalto a multiple of the number of the bridging elements of the outercylinder.
 40. A device according to claim 39, wherein: the bridgingelements comprise paddles or vanes.
 41. A feeding system for the feedingof free-range poultry kept in a coop comprising: at least one feeddelivery pipe held above a floor of the coop and capable of being raisedand lowered, the pipe having at least one branch aperture; a bowl devicesuspended on the feed delivery pipe and in connection with one of the atleast one branch aperture, the bowl device comprising a feed bowl, acupola, and a downpipe; the feed bowl being located beneath thedownpipe; the cupola being formed from grid bars in a spoke fashion;wherein the downpipe comprises an inner cylinder departing from theaperture and an outer cylinder encompassing the inner cylinder; whereinthe feed bowl is suspended by the grid bars of the bowl cupola in such away that, when the feed delivery pipe is lowered, the bowl comes to reston the floor of the coop; wherein the outer cylinder is guided in arotatable manner as well as in a raisable and lowerable manner on theinner cylinder; wherein the bowl device includes at least one liftingstop for delimiting a lifting and lowering path of the bowl; wherein theouter cylinder is comprised of adjacent outer cylinder sections co-axialto each other, whereby outer face peripheral areas of the outer cylindersections turned towards each other are connected to one another by outerbridging elements which bridge an outer gap area, which corresponds toan outer interval distance between the outer cylinder sections; andwherein the inner cylinder is comprised of adjacent inner cylindersections co-axial to each other, whereby inner face peripheral areas ofthe inner cylinder sections turned towards each other are connected toone another by inner bridging elements which bridge an inner gap area,which corresponds to an inner interval distance between the innercylinder sections.
 42. A feeding system according to claim 41, wherein:an end-side cylinder section of the inner cylinder covers the gap areabetween the outer cylinder sections of the outer cylinder when the outercylinder is moved by the raising of the feed delivery pipe into aposition which is lowered in relation to the inner cylinder; the innercylinder and the outer cylinder each include one of the at least onelifting stop; and the lifting stops of the inner cylinder and the outercylinder are in mutually opposed positions. the bridging elementscomprise paddles or vanes.
 43. A feeding system according to claim 41,wherein: the at least one lifting stop comprises a recess in a cylinderinner surface of the outer cylinder and at least one abutment shoulderfor the recess projecting radially from the inner cylinder.
 44. Afeeding system according to claim 43, wherein: each abutment shoulderfor the recess is a part of a radial projection.
 45. A feeding systemaccording to claim 41, wherein: each bridging element is a flat web, ofwhich a web surface plane is aligned radially to an axis of theindividual inner cylinder or outer cylinder in each case.
 46. A feedingsystem according to claim 45, wherein: the bridging elements of theouter cylinder comprise paddles or vanes projecting over a periphery ofthe outer cylinder.
 47. A feeding system according to claim 41, wherein:the outer surface of an upper cylinder section of the outer cylinderincludes a threaded spindle; and free ends of the grid bars of the bowlcupola are connected to a screw ring, which is screwed onto an area ofthe outer cylinder having the threaded spindle.
 48. A feeding systemaccording to claim 41, wherein: the downpipe includes at least onerotational stop, delimiting a rotational path of the outer cylinder inrelation to the inner cylinder.
 49. A feeding system according to claim48, wherein: each rotational stop includes at least one elevation and atleast one driver dog; the at least one elevation is arranged in apredetermined area of the outer surface of the inner cylinder; the atleast one driver dog is located on an inner surface of the outercylinder; and the at least one driver dog includes a rotational path ofwhich, at the rotation of the outer cylinder about the inner cylinder,the elevation projects.
 50. A feeding system according to claim 49,wherein: a predetermined area of the outer surface of the inner cylinderat an upper head part includes a reduced cylinder diameter compared to aremaining portion of the inner cylinder; and the predetermined area isoffset in relation to a remaining portion of the inner cylinder as aresult of reduced cylinder diameter.
 51. A feeding system according toclaim 47, wherein: the outer cylinder features at least onespring-elastic engagement cam in an area defined by the threadedspindle.
 52. A feeding system according to claim 51, wherein: eachengagement cam is spring-elastic in a radial direction.
 53. A feedingsystem according to claim 51, wherein: the bowl cupola includes a screwring; the screw ring includes cut-outs on an inner circumference surfacethereof; and the cut-outs are capable of engaging the engagement camswith a positive fit.
 54. A feeding system according to claim 53,wherein: the engagement cams and the cut-outs include run-in flanksarranged obliquely to a direction of rotation.
 55. A feeding systemaccording to claim 41, wherein: the feed bowl includes a feed plate; andthe feed plate includes a plate edge having connecting elements forconnecting the feed plate to the bowl cupola.
 56. A feeding systemaccording to claim 55, wherein: the connecting elements include a flapjoint and at least one locking or retaining element.
 57. A feedingsystem according to claim 55, wherein: the feed plate includes a ringsurface configured to be located beneath the downpipe and a platecenter; the ring surface surrounds the plate center; and the ringsurface is subdivided into feeding sections.
 58. A feeding systemaccording to claim 57, wherein: each feeding section comprises at leastone pocket delimited by depression or elevation.
 59. A feeding systemaccording to claim 57, wherein: the number of feeding sections is equalto a multiple of the number of the bridging elements of the outercylinder.
 60. A feeding system according to claim 59, wherein: thebridging elements comprise paddles or vanes.